Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planting Trees

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planting Trees

6/15/2017

Planting trees doesn’t seem like a job too tricky and trust us, it’s not. However, there are a number of things that go into ensuring that the tree saplings you plant develop and grow into healthy and sturdy trees that flaunt their complete glory to everyone that happens to look at them.

Unfortunately, in most cases, people unknowingly overlook the very basics of growing a healthy tree. The mistakes we have listed down in this post are all too common. If you are planting trees or want to plant trees anytime soon, you might want to read them through to not repeat them!

Not the Right Tree

Probably the most basic mistake people make is choosing the wrong trees. You might have been to Nebraska to pay a visit to your sister and came across this gorgeous tree in her backyard. You love it so much that you decide to plant it in yours too when you return to your Dallas home in Texas.

Is that a good idea? May be, or maybe not. See, not all trees can grow everywhere. It is quite possible that the tree you saw in Nebraska has the tendency to survive in the hotter climates of Texas. It may not grow as well as it did there but it does survive. Alternatively, the tree might just die because the weather and soil conditions in Dallas are not what it needs.

Whenever you choose trees, pick the ones that grow well in the surroundings you will be planting them in.

Not Mulching Properly

Mulching allows water retention in the soil – which makes it both good and bad for your trees. When done right, mulching preserves the ideal moisture levels in the soil and protects the roots of your trees from getting water saturated. However, things go wrong when you over mulch the ground.

This traps excessive water in the soil that can actually kill the plant. A soil too moist does not allow oxygen to pass through it. As a result, the tree’s roots suffocate. The first signs of suffocated roots appear in the form of discolored foliage and poor twig growth in the tree.

Over mulching also causes bacterial and fungal diseases that thrive in water-logged soils. These diseases and bacteria may invade the tree bark, eating it from the inside, and starve the tree to death.

Not Monitoring the Tree

You think your job is done as soon as the tree sapling you planted picks up speed and grows tall enough to survive on its own? Think again! You can’t just plant a tree and watch it grow from a distance – especially if it’s in your back or front yard, on your farmstead along with a bunch of other trees, or somewhere where it might grow up to be a nuisance to those around it.

Trees require regular trimming and pruning to stay in shape. Often, trees get pest infestations or diseases that can damage the foliage, the branches, the fruit, and sometimes, although rare, even kill the tree. Keeping a close eye on the tree makes sure you are familiar with its development – whether it’s growing alright or not, does it have any infections, are there too many insects thriving on it and more. This way, you could work on ensuring your tree stays healthy as it grows.

You can even give us a call for affordable tree maintenance services around Dallas and Fort Worth areas.

Not Watering Them Properly

If you’re familiar with the way plants work, you would know that every plant has its different requirements when it comes to watering. Sometimes, the same amount of water can be too much for one tree and too less for the other; for some trees, it would be just perfect. So how do you know how much water is just right for your trees and how frequently do you need to water them?

Follow these simple thumb rules:

Your young tree will require a lot of energy in the first couple of years. Water the tree immediately after planting it. After that, practice deep watering (using wood-chip mulch) to keep the young roots moist all the time. This is done to allow the tree the time it needs to adapt to the soil and aridity conditions of the ground it’s planted in.

Once your tree grows two years old, the key is to keep the soil moist. Be careful, moist is not the same as soggy – moist is good for your tree, soggy will ruin its roots. A soil that is moist will remain damp for a while before drying up, allowing oxygen to penetrate through the soil to the roots of your trees.

Not Staking It Right

Trees are staked to help them grow better. Staking is supposed to promote proper spread of root support. It also allows the tree trunk the support it needs to grow proper and strong. However, in most instances, people fail to stake their trees the right way. This leads to more damage than good for the tree.

When you don’t stake the tree properly, the “supporting” stake actually makes the tree too rigid, not allowing it the wind-bending required to make the trunk cells flexible. When the tree isn’t allowed to bend, its root system doesn’t expand enough. Once you remove these stakes, it puts your tree at a greater risk of breakage or being blown down every time the weather is harsh.

Your tree fell down in the middle of the night? Get in touch with us for 24/7 emergency tree service in Dallas and Fort Worth area.

Make sure you don’t make these mistakes and you’re bound to sail smooth through the entire process. Remember, just like a small child, your trees will require your time, attention, and affection. While some of them may not be that demanding, others may wilt when not cared for.

Think you’re not cut out for this type of commitment, or is it that you worry you wouldn’t be able to do justice to your trees?

Whatever your reason might be, we at S & P Tree Service can help you with it. Our tree maintenance services in Dallas and Fort Worth area are designed to care for and nurture your trees into standing tall and healthy!